In Response to Re: Rondo for Gasol - Mitch Kupchak : Marc has always had very good skills. He was terribly overweight and out of shape before he was in the NBA. LA needed a center for the 2007-08 season when Bynum went down with an injury. Mark stayed in Europe for a year after he was drafted and there was rumors that he might stay for 2 years. I guess it won't help your pathetic argument if Marc makes the all-star team and Pau doesn't.Posted by GinaM1977

How can you trade a guy who makes no salary against the cap for a guy making a max contract?I know the answer, do you?

In Response to Re: Rondo for Gasol - Mitch Kupchak : Not sure. Remember the Lakers were holding onto Bynum to get DH, so I'm not sure that deal would've even been braoched. But then it depends on what you believe the factors were in holding up the Lakers' CP3 deal. Was it the stated reason that Stern wanted the Hornets to get young talent or was it the Gilbert-led owners angry over what a great deal it was for the Lakers? Either way, it was shady at best.Posted by FlobusMcNugget

Here is my argument - because everyone knew the Paul move was the first of two, it was whined over by Gilbert et al. Not wanting the lakers to completely restock, right after the lockout, Stern said two things:1. The Hornets didn't get back enough young talent (Bynum)2. The lakers didn't take on enough salary (Okafor)

And as someone who really doesn't care, I would say a team of Paul, Bryant, Peace Gasol and Okafor is better than a team of Paul, Bryant, Peace, McRoberts and Bynum..................maybe it's just me!!You were NOT going to get both - not right after a lockout where small market owners were whining about LeBron and Carmelo dictating where they wanted to play.

In Response to Re: Rondo for Gasol - Mitch Kupchak : How can you trade a guy who makes no salary against the cap for a guy making a max contract? I know the answer, do you?Posted by Red-16Russ-11

That is why LA had to trade McKee and Brown.They were junk salary fillers for a few months.Memphis wanted Marc Gasol and the (2) 1st round picks.They also wanted financial flexibility which enabled them to take on Zach Randolph's contract.Memphis was the worst team in the NBA in 06-07 with Pau and the 2nd worst in 07-08. It was a great move to trade him.They also received Darrell Arthur for Donte Green who they received in the LA trade. You probably don't know him, but he is a very good prospect that is out for the year.

In Response to Re: Rondo for Gasol - Mitch Kupchak : That is why LA had to trade McKee and Brown. They were junk salary fillers for a few months. Memphis wanted Marc Gasol and the (2) 1st round picks. They also wanted financial flexibility which enabled them to take on Zach Randolph's contract. Memphis was the worst team in the NBA in 06-07 with Pau and the 2nd worst in 07-08. It was a great move to trade him. They also received Darrell Arthur for Donte Green who they received in the LA trade. You probably don't know him, but he is a very good prospect that is out for the year. Posted by GinaM1977

Right - Kwame Brown was the major part of the trade for the lakers. Don't forget gun-toting Javarius Crittendon. And, don't flatter yourself, I know ALL the players in the deal!!

In 2007- 2008, the Grizz won 22 games. The Thunder won 20 and the Heat won 15. That would give MEM the THIRD worst record in the league that year. Ordinarily I wouldn't care, but I find it very hard to believe you would let me get away with it, so I'll just chalk it up to another of your mistakes, like Darko Milicic and koME scoring 40 points in a row!! When did he do that again?

The question is simple : what team would lose more tonight ? The Celtics without Rondo or Lakers without Gasol ... The answer is obvious. Danny do this movement ! Gasol left to the last drop of sweat working for the TEAM. It is a 200% a TEAM player. Rondo never felt the pride of a franchise player like did Pierce or Larry in the past . He´s not the player to rebuild the team. This player will appear in the future, and as always been in the Celtics will come from the draft. Only from the draft.Posted by Jokerblue

Re: The question is simple: whatteam would losemore tonight?The Celtics without Rondoor LakerswithoutGasol... The answeris obvious.

Of all the analyses, stats, comparisons ages, etc. etc., yours is the brightest and crystalizes my opinion of previous uncertainty of whether I would want the trade.

I feel Gasol would be the best we've had under the basket since Parish/McHale & really has that same soft touch Kevin did anywhere from 1-15 feet from the basket.

In Response to Re: Rondo for Gasol - Mitch Kupchak : West left in 07. The trade happened in 08. If you are the conspiracy theory type, then sure. Have at it. But the facts suggest otherwise. The Lakers pulled off a brilliant move. A move that ultimately benefitted the Grizzlies (Marc Gasol) as well.Posted by FlobusMcNugget

In Response to Re: Rondo for Gasol - Mitch Kupchak : Other than the Grizzlies letting you steal Gasol with West's help. What great trades or acquisitions are you referring to? Blake, McRoberts, Barnes, Kapono, other than free agency and West's draft of Kobe what has Kupchak done?Posted by concord27

Exactly right.... Kupchak was handed Gasol by an idiotic Griz front office... other than that, he has done very little.....

In Response to Re: Rondo for Gasol - Mitch Kupchak : While the trade may benefit both teams, it won't happen because of the history between the two. I think the last time the Sox and Yankees made a trade was Sparky Lyle for Danny Cater, and we all know who got the better of that one!! Can't see us making a trade with the lakers under any circumstances!Posted by Red-16Russ-11

Red you are saying what is going to rule the outcome of this trade talk. It won't happen. Maybe Danny has a better plan.

Rondo had 14 pts and 7 assts but only scored 2 points in the 4th qtr. and the whole overtime. Gasol had 25 points, 14 rebounds, and 2 blocks. The last block on Ray's putback sealed the deal for the Lakers. The Lakers also had 55 rebounds. I guess it's safe to say that in this big vs. small matchup, the big won. Posted by Fiercest34

why would it be a big vs. small matchup? do the two guard each other?

the only FAIR way to compare would to compare what Rondo did against Fisher, the starting pg, compared to what Gasol did compared to wat KG, the starting pf did..its stupid to compare performances when they play diff positions and guarded diff people..

listen....I personally love both Rondo and Gasol....different players obviously....but neither team is going to the finals this year or next....better to rebuild with a 26 year old point guard than with a 32 year old talented forward....if we had a chance at a championship then maybe yes....but we don't (IMO)....and why help the Lakers, who are also on the brink of rebuilding....?

General Manager Mitch Kupchak may have not been speaking literally when he mentioned he would love to get a 25-year old, All-Star, ball-handling guard, of which Rajon Rondo is the only player in the league who matches that exact description . . . but that was not the source that led to the article.

Instead, the origination was reflected here, “Additionally, sources have told HOOSPWORLD that the Boston Celtics do have interest in Gasol for their All-Star point guard.”

Sorry, I called it from the beginning it was Fiercest pipe dream. And after tonight Mitch said UGH!

I would rather do the Gasol trade. I think Rondo is a good player, but because of sentimentality, which is natural, his value is inflated around here. Some people think Rondo is the more valuable player because he is younger. Pau Gasol is big time, and that would be easy to see if he was paired with KG. Pau is like gold, and his value lies in his rarity, being really good in a lot of aspects of the game. He would be playing much better when not in a twin tower offense. That situation with two bigs very rarely plays out. This has got to be one of the reasons the Lakers are looking to trade him. Bynum and Gasol don't really play that good together imo.

Rondo is such a contested topic around here because the back of his jersey should read Jeckyll and Hyde. His game is made up of two tales. Jeckll: He is a gamer, plays fast and makes great descisions. Rondo brings it on defense, and makes the offense flow nice. Hyde: That outside shooting thing is as bad as the things he does well are good. The free throw shooting is a detriment. Having a guard shoot like Rondo does is a pretty big negative from the field and at the line. The blueprint for beating Rondo was on full display tonight. As fun as he is to watch, his game has a gaping hole.

I am contending that trading a point guard with an obvious gaping hole in his game for a player the caliber of Pau Gasol would be highway robbery in favor of the Celtics. If this trade were to go down, I think some people here would be feeling astonished at what would go back to the Lakers for Gasol. Even at 31, he is an easy shoe for top ten big man in the NBA. Nobody else in the league plays both the four and five like he does. That versatility is too rare to not try and go out and get if Rondo is the price. The Lakers hold the more valueable commodity, but have a desperate need at point guard. This would be a coupe.